I am in love…

with a ham sandwich. At Bar Costa Gallega on the Passeig de Gracia.  It was my first meal in Barcelona. A gorgeous, greasy, jamón serrano bocadito (mini sandwich) with crusty, bread and a good slather of tomato and olive oil in the Catalan style. Paired with a deliciously smooth cafe con leche this is the taste of Spain, the taste of my childhood.  I am in heaven.Sagrada Familia I wimped out. I cannot bear to stand in line to get into the Sagrada Famila. So I walk around from the outside, stand in awe and snap my obligatory shot and go. To be honest it kind of depressed me. This clearly amazing building surrounded by KFC, MacDonalds and Starbucks locations. I'm not sure that's exactly what Gaudí had in mind.

Boadas My friend Bob recommended this cocktail bar off La Rambla.  He said I would be transported to 1930. I couldn't agree more. Bartenders in dress suits, perfect warm honey coloured lighting, dark wood. Cocktails only so I had my usual Gin and Tonic…and this really was my usual, the way I make them, with a more than generous measure. One is enough. I am enthralled watching them make what appears to be the house signature drink, a mojito. Such careful muddling, and they use Angostura Bitters which I have not seen before. The bartender is like a lab technician working so carefully and precisely. It appears to be mostly rum with just a drop of soda and one cube of ice. I'm on my way there again this evening as I must try one.

Parc Guell

I am in awe of Parc Guell. Here is a man's imagination literally spilled out onto a Barcelona hillside.  I love the monster teeth and the mosaic entryway, which unlike other tourist attractions, actually photographs better FULL of people. We walk right to the top and get an impressive view of the city and see the Sagrada Familia rising  up from the sea of other buildings. I like it better from here.

Apologies

So clearly I'm new at this blogging thing. The most direct evidence of this is the lack of food shots in this first post which I can only attribute to the fact that we are having such a good time and enjoying what we are eating so much that we literally have it half eaten before I remember to pull out the camera.  So all I can say is I'll try to do better.